Detectives in the Lands of Lore
by Isangtao
Summary: Ayumi and Mitsuhiko are transported by myterious portals into a land of magic and mystery. Crossover between Detective Conan, Warcraft, AdventureQuest, and AQ Worlds.
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: I do not own Detective Conan, AdventureQuest, AQ Worlds, and Warcraft.**

**Detectives In The Lands of Lore.**

**Prologue**

-Professor Agasa's house-

The Detective Boys, mostly three of them, were enjoying an afternoon at Professor Agasa's residence. They were watching the latest episode of Kemen Yaiba when a sudden news report interrupted the show.

"Hey what gives!" said Genta. Genta was the large self-proclamied leader of the group. Today he was dressed in a high collared shirt and shorts.

(As of today, the number of disappearances related to these mysterious lights has grown to five. Police are still baffled as to the cause of these lights, and the missing persons that accompany them," said the TV reporter as he finished his segment.)

"Conan, what do you think are the cause of these lights?" asked a young girl named Ayumi Yoshida. She was seven years old, and a member of the Detective Boys. Today her black hair was kept tidy with a headband, and she was wearing a red shirt with a matching skirt.

Conan bowed his head, deep in thought.

'_That's not the right question Ayumi. The lights can be easily explained, the real question is why is the culprit leaving behind obvious signs to his kidnapping?'_

"Maybe someone was using magnesium torches. I once saw mother use one of those when she took me to one of her classes, they were really bright," quipped another Detective Boy, Mitsuhiko Tsuburaya, seven years old, who was wearing a blue long sleeved shirt and white pants.

"Bah, somebody must be using fireworks!" said Genta.

"What do you think Ai-chan?" asked Ayumi.

Ai Haibara, "seven" years old, who was wearing her typical red sleeveless shirt and khaki pants, looked up from the magazine she was reading.

"Mitsuhiko's guess was the closest," she said, before once again burying herself in her reading. Mitsuhiko beamed at her, while Genta simply looked confused.

Silence ensued, before the Ayumi, Mitsuhiko, and Genta immersed themselves once more into the show. While this was going on, Conan went over to Ai to share his thoughts on the matter.

"I don't know Haibara, why would someone want to leave behind something so obvious at a crime scene?" he said.

Ai looked up from her magazine, a smirk on her face.

"Oh, has our dear Kudo finally run out of answers?" she asked. Conan shot her a glare.

"What answers can I come up with when there are no clues to begin with?" he snapped back.

Ai stifled a giggle.

"I was just joking Kudo-kun. But really, I haven't any idea why on earth this criminal would want to advertise his crimes, unless he wanted the public to fear him," she said.

Conan gave her a thoughtful look, which turned into one of understanding a second later.

"I think that's it Haibara! The man wants to draw attention to himself, and thereby lies the key to taking him down!" said Conan.

Ai was about to reply to him when Agasa came out of his room.

"Alright kids, it's getting pretty late. You need to go home before the sun sets completely. I wouldn't want you to be attacked on your way home," said Agasa.

Mitsuhiko, Ayumi, and Genta all adopted nervous looks from their faces.

"Agasa, stop scaring them," reprimanded Ai. Conan was beside her, amused.

"But he's right, you should go home now while there is still some light shining," she added.

The three she was referring to tried to protest, but one look from Ai was all it took to shut them up. They had no choice but to obey her.

"Bye Ai-chan, bye Conan, see you tomorrow!" called Ayumi when they were finally outside the gate.

-Unknown street, on the way to Ayumi's house-

Mitsuhiko was walking Ayumi home, a privilege Genta did not enjoy, as his house was much closer. Both of them were walking at a casual pace, with only a few blocks to go before they reachthe Yoshida residence. As the two rounded a corner, Ayumi spoke.

"Do you think they'll ever catch the criminal behind the lights Mitsuhiko?" she asked.

Mitsuhiko, too preoccupied with enjoying Ayumi's company, hadn't heard what she said.

"Mitsuhiko?" Ayumi asked again. This time Mitsuhiko heard it.

"Huh?"

"Do you think they'll ever catch the criminal behind the lights?"

"Of course! The police has never had a case they can't solve, and with the Detective Boys helping them, catching the criminal will be a piece of cake!" he said.

Ayumi smiled, and both resumed their walking.

They only had to round one more corner before reaching Ayumi's house when an incredibly bright light blinded them.

And for the two young detectives, it would be the start of an incredible journey.

-Unknown location-

The courtyard was packed with wizards, all practicing their magic. In one corner, a young sorceress can be seen with her mentor, an aged man whose appearance hides a strong mind and an adventurer's body. He spoke in a deep, gentle voice.

"One more time Jaina, then you're free for the rest of the day."

The sorceress, Jaina, nodded, and once again tried her magic.

She compressed water molecules into a singe area, molded it into a vaguely humanoid shape. The finished product looked like an ape with a huge neck, no head, and no legs. It was also around the height of her chest. Jaina frowned when she saw her handiwork.

"Master, this is barely half of what is standard for an archmage!" she complained.

Her master laughed. "At ease Jaina, considering you only graduated from becoming a master sorceress, having a water elemental that big is a huge achievement, I wouldn't worry about it."

This made Jaina smile. "Thank you master," she said while bowing.

The old man laughed again, and made to reply, but was interrupted when a sudden bright light erupted on the center of the courtyard.

All activity stopped, and everyone stared at the spectacle, spells at the ready. When the light dies down, all of them expected some huge monster to come charging. What they didn't expect was a little girl, in a red dress, lying unconscious.

Shocked silence followed. Jaina and her master, one of the first ones to recover from the shock, immediately went over to the body.

"Master, she is still alive," said Jaina.

"I can see. What I want to know is, where did she come from, and what brought her here?" he said.

He levitated the body, and gave it to the nearest person besides Jaina.

"Take her to the infirmary."

"Yes master Antonidas."

As the girl was taken by the priest towards the clinic, Jaina turned towards her master.

"That is the seventh time this has happened master, what is causing these portals to appear?" she asked.

Antonidas sighed. "I wish I knew Jaina. I'll have to study the energy signatures of these portals to find out where they lead to, perhaps then we can find out who or what is behind these," he paused, "I'll try and ask Warlic if any of these portals opened up in Lore."

"Your friend who lives in Battleon?"

"Yes, he's the one, recently however, a meteorite incident prompted them to move the entire town into another location, though I heard they had to move it twice since the first time had them end up on top of a mountain," he chuckled, "maybe the sheer amount of magic involved is what is causing these portals to appear."

He looked back to Jaina.

"You can have the rest of the day off Jaina, though I think you will want to visit our little guest," he said.

"Thank you master," said Jaina before walking off into the clinic.

-Still an unknown location-

A ship was on its way to port, having just sailed for three months straight into uncharted waters. Everyone on board was eager to step on familiar land once more.

"Captain, land ho!" came the shout from the crow's nest.

"Aye! Release the sails and head straight for land mateys!" replied the captain, a muscular man wearing a red jacket and dirty white pants. His unruly brown hair was kept clean by a black pirate hat.

The ship has nearly reached port when a bright light enveloped it. When the light died down, guns, spears, cannons, and the occasional mop were all staring down an unconscious seven year old boy wearing a blue shirt and white pants. The captain saw this, and yelled before someone accidentally shoots the lad.

"Stand down!" he shouted, before approaching the boy.

The others lowered their weapons, and took in the scene before them. Chaos ensued.

"Tis a boy!"

"That be one of the portals Aquella spoke of!"

"Why did it decide to take the lad?"

"Quiet!"

Everyone shut up, and looked at their captain. He was kneeling in front of the boy.

"He's still alive, take him ter me cabin," he said

One of the crewmen picked the boy up and took him towards the captain's quarters.

The captain stood up, and looked towards his crew.

"Well, shows over! If all of ye want ter get back ter port, man the sails!"

Everyone immediately went back to work. The captain walked towards the edge of the ship, and looked out the sea.

One of the crewmen decided to be brave and approached him.

"Captain Rhubarb sir, that was one of the portals your friend Aquella spoke of."

Rhubarb only nodded, and continued to stare out to sea.

A tense silence followed, before the crewman asked again.

"Who's behind these portals, and why did he kidnap that boy?"

Rhubarb gave him an annoyed look, before answering, "we'll ask those questions after we get to port."

"Y-yes sir," said Boon, before returning to his post.

**Chapter 1**

-The next day, Dalaran infirmary-

Ayumi opened her eyes, and squinted in the light. She was lying in a bed. She rubbed her eyes, and moved to a sitting position.

She saw that she wasn't in her room. She was inside what looked like a clinic. The curtains surrounding her bed were drawn. A candle on a stand provided the only light in the room, though the light was unusually bright. There was a table beside her bed, on top of which was a clipboard like the one used by nurses to keep track of the patient's records. A piece of paper was clipped to it.

Ayumi looked at the writings on the paper. It looked different from Japanese, and it didn't look like English either. But for some reason Ayumi understood it completely.

"Por…tal…vic…tim," she uttered.

"Oh, you're awake," said a voice behind her.

Ayumi jumped, she looked behind, and saw a beautiful young woman with blonde hair and white clothing sitting next to her bed. She was holding what looked like a staff with a blue gem on top. She was looking at Ayumi.

The girl stared at the woman with questioning eyes.

"Who are you lady-san? And where am I?"

The woman gave Ayumi a gentle smile.

"My name is Jaina Proudmoore. You are in Dalaran-," Jaina cut her off when Ayumi was about to speak. "-I understand if you do not know where Dalaran is, so please let me take the time to explain to where we really are. But before that, what can you remember?"

"Well, my name is Ayumi Yoshida; I live in Beika, Japan-" started Ayumi

"No, no," said Jaina, who chuckled," I meant what can you remember before you were pulled into the portal?"

Ayumi gave her a confused look. "Well, I can remember me and Mitsuhiko-kun walking back to my house after we left from Professor Agasa's place, that's when we saw this really bright light. After that, I'm here," she said.

Jaina nodded and closed her eyes, gathering her thoughts. She was about to reply when Ayumi suddenly spoke.

"Jaina-san, what's a portal? Was that the bright light? Where is Mitsuhiko-kun?"

This snapped Jaina from her musing. She looked at Ayumi, her mind trying to piece together an answer.

She finally replied after a few seconds.

"Well, a portal is a rip in the fabric of space, and sometimes time. It allows casters to instantly travel from one location to another. Yes, I am certain that the light you saw was caused by a portal. I have not seen your friend, however I am sure we will find him soon," she said.

Ayumi looked down. "Oh," she said, the wheels of her mind were turning, trying to make sense of everything that was said to her. As she slowly realized what had happened to her, her face steadily fell.

Jaina noticed the look on the young girl's face, and hastily added.

"Do not worry young one, I am sure we will get you home. Master Antonidas is already tracking down the signature of the portal that was used."

She gave Ayumi a kind smile, which the girl returned. Then a thought occurred to her.

"Jaina-san, how do you make portals?"

Jaina raised an eyebrow, before she smiled. "It is done by magic," she replied.

Jaina watched with some amusement as Ayumi's eyes widened and her expression changed from solemn to wonder.

"Wow! Does that mean magic is real?"

Jaina nodded. "Yes it does. I take it you do not use magic from where you come from?"

Ayumi bobbed her head up and down. "Uh-huh! But we do have a lot of gadgets," she said, and showed Jaina her watch.

Jaina looked on in interest as Ayumi pushed a few buttons, and the supposed watch turned into a flashlight.

"Interesting, do you hve any more?"

Ayumi shook her head. "No, Conan-kun has the other gadgets the Professor Agasa made, I wish he would give some to us though."

A moment of silence descended, one which was broken when Jaina stood up and drew the curtains, and Ayumi's jaw dropped.

Outside the window she can see dozens of mages and priests practicing magic. The mages were firing orbs of pure magic against each other, while the priests practiced their healing magic. Some of the more advanced mages even transformed their opponents into various animals, of which sheep seemed to be the most popular.

Jaina laughed softly as she watched Ayumi gape at the sight in front of her. She moved beside the girl.

"So, what do you think?" she asked.

Ayumi did not answer immediately, too preoccupied with dealing with the spectacle. It took her a few seconds before she finally opened her mouth.

"Conan-kun's never going to believe this," she said.

"Oh, doesn't Conan-kun believe in magic?" asked Jaina.

Ayumi shook her head slowly, still looking outside the window.

She was snapped from her spacing out when she heard Jaina laugh.

"Well then, you should tell this Conan-kun everything you saw here when you get back home."

Ayumi smiled and nodded enthusiastically. When she gets back home, she was going to tell everyone about what she saw. She was suddenly torn between staying so she can see more, or go home as soon as possible.

While Ayumi was having an internal debate, Jaina walked to the door.

"Come young one, we shall visit Master Antonidas and ask if he has already tracked down the signature of the portal."

She was about to exit the infirmary when she felt tugging at her shirt. She turned and saw Ayumi looking up at her.

"Jaina-san, can you teach me magic? And that wasn't Japanese that I read in the paper, how did I understand it?" she asked.

Unsurprised by this, Jaina took Ayumi's hand off her shirt and into her own hand.

"Master Antonidas casted a translation spell on you while you were asleep. It allows you to read and speak Common, the local language here. And of course, we would be glad to teach you magic," she said, and both she and a happy Ayumi made their way to Antonidas' chambers.

-On another part of the world-

Mitsuhiko awoke to the sound of the beach. He groaned, and sat up. The first thing he saw was a blue woman and coral-like horns and pointed ears. Beside her was a pirate, complete with an eye patch, a captain's hat, and beard. Both of them were staring out to sea.

He blinked when he saw this, and rubbed his eyes. He saw the exact same persons, and ended up staring at the female.

'Why is she blue?' he thought.

At this, the woman and the pirate noticed that he was awake, and turned to look at him.

"You're awake," said the woman.

Mitsuhiko could not answer. He was too busy staring at the woman for that.

The pirate moved beside Mitsuhiko's bed, and sat on a chair.

"Hey, kid, stop staring at the Water Elf, she'll think yer a pervert," he said.

This caused Mitsuhiko to quickly avert his gaze from the woman, his face a furious red.

The woman, water elf, chuckled at this.

"Don't worry about it child, I'm not offended. And Rhubarb, don't say stuff like that in front of kids."

She moved closer to Mitsuhiko, who blushed even more.

The woman, oblivious to Mitsuhiko's predicament, sat on the bed, and asked the boy.

"How are you feeling?"

It took Mitsuhiko a full five minutes to calm himself. When he finally thought he could control himself, he said.

"J-just fine, um, elf-san, who are you? Are you really an elf? But I thought elves weren't real! And where am I? And-" he stopped when the elf raised her hands.

"Please, a few questions at a time. My name is Aquella. Yes, I am an elf. Yes, elves are real, and there are even different types, I am a Water Elf. You are in the ship called The Red Betty," she said.

"Finest pirate ship in the whole of Lore!" boasted Rhubarb.

Aquella and Mitsuhiko ignored him.

"Aquella-san, how did I get here? And, um, I'm Mitsuhiko Tsuburaya," Mitsuhiko asked.

It was Rhubarb who answered.

"We were about to dock to port when this portal suddenly appeared on the deck. The portal dumped ye into me ship," he said.

"Mitsuhiko, what can you remember from yesterday?" added Aquella.

Mitsuhiko became silent for a few seconds.

"We spent the whole day on Professor Agasa's, then Ayumi, Genta, and I went home in the afternoon. Ayumi and I were nearly to her house when we saw this bright light," he said.

Aquella nodded, her head resting on a chin. "I see, Mitsuhiko, I'm afraid to tell you this, but it would seem as if the portal transported you into a different world entirely."

Mitsuhiko heard this, and panic began to creep up the spine of the boy. No amount of time spent with the Detective Boys could have prepared him for this. Tears started to well from his eyes.

Rhubarb noticed this, and clapped a hand onto Mitsuhiko's back.

"I wouldn't worry if I were ye kid. Aquella's already looking for the source of the portal and even got the great mage Warlic to help," he said.

Mitsuhiko rubbed his back, and managed to muster a small smile at the pirate.

"Warlic will go to Lolosia to gather what remains of the energy signature," said Aquella, "He will arrive in a few days. He would have gone sooner, but a predicament involving him fading in and out, two rarely seen Saleks, and some disrupted timelines, prevented him from coming immediately."

Rhubarb nodded and Mitsuhiko gave a sigh of relief. If the two of them had so much faith for this Warlic, it meant that he was very good at what he does. And at this point, after he found out he was in another world, that elves are real, and time travel is possible, Mitsuhiko was sure magic existed, despite going against everything he and Conan had believed in.

Aquella was now talking to Rhubarb.

"Now there is the matter of where he will be staying," she said.

"I'll see if Gibet has some rooms open," said Rhubarb.

He stood up, and held Mitsuhiko by the collar. Mitsuhiko tried to struggle, but found it difficult while being suspended in air. The boy looked at Aquella, who simply smiled and shrugged.

"Come on kid, we're going to Gibet and see if she has some space left for ye," said Rhubarb.

He put down Mitsuhiko when they got off the Red Betty. Mitsuhiko never had the time to complain, as Rhubarb was already walking away into the unfamiliar town.

They arrived at a simple looking inn after twenty minutes of walking. It was colored yellow, had two floors, and a sign that said 'Gibet's' swung in the wind.

Rhubarb stopped at the entrance of the inn.

"This is 'Gibet's', the most popular pub here in Lolosia. The place is run by Ruisha Gibet," he said.

He and Mitsuhiko entered the inn.

At the bar, which also served as the front desk, was a woman wearing a white and red shirt, with the collar of the shirt left open in a way that showed the top part of her cleavage. She looked at the newcomers.

"If it isn't Captain Rhubarb, what can I do for you, and who is the little youngster?" she said.

Rhubarb crossed the room and into the desk, with Mitsuhiko following close behind.

"This is the boy that caused the light in me ship. Turns out 'twas a portal from some world, the portal dumped him in the deck," he cleared his throat, "He needs a room for a few days, do ye have any?"

Gibet raised an eyebrow. "Oh, so this is the kid that has made recent talk here in Lolosia," she said, "You wouldn't believe the rumors that had bubbled up when a light erupted from the Red Betty. I've heard people talking about ghosts, demons, and even Twilly. But it looks like the truth is much more fantastic than the rumors."

She reached down, and pulled out a rusted key.

"This is the only room left, so it'll have to do. It's on the second floor, last one on the right," she said, handing Rhubarb the key.

The pirate took the key and headed for the room, Mitsuhiko following close behind.

The room, it turned out, was a Spartan style space with only the bare essentials for a guest room. There was a bed, a table, a chair, and a cabinet…and nothing else save for the toilet and the sink.

"Not the best rooms out there, but this isn't the time to be picky," said Rhubarb

But Mitsuhiko was not know for being choosy, and gladly accepted the room.

"I hope I'm not going to be burden Rhubarb-san," he said, only for Rhubarb to wave his hand absent-mindedly.

"Don't worry about it, we pirates may be called sea scourge, but we never attack those who haven't wronged us, and always help those in need."

"Whoa! You're a pirate?" asked Mitsuhiko, in awe at the revelation.

Rhubarb grinned, and pounded his chest.

"Ye me boy, are looking at captain Rhubarb, Captain of the most feared ship in all of Lore, and the most feared and respected Pirate in the face of the world!"

This only helped to increase Mitsuhiko's sense of wonder.

"Can I be a pirate too?"

At this, Rhubarb adopted a serious expression. He shook his head.

"Now, no. Ye still haven't got what it takes to brave the uncharted waters that the red Betty sails to," he said, and Mistuhiko's face fell.

Rhubarb saw this, and smirked.

"But I never said anything not taking ye in didn't I? Ye will not be sailing in the Red Betty until I say yer ready, but while yer waiting for me to say yes, ye can train yer body and mind to face the dangers that a pirate encounters," he said.

Mitsuhiko brightened considerably after that. He was eager to begin.

"When can I start?"

Rhubarb laughed at this. It looked like he has found a potential crewman.

"Now. And yer first mission is run from here to the Betty and back, I'll be waiting for ye."

Mitsuhiko's jaw dropped.

"But, that's too far away!" he said, only for Rhubarb to look at him, his eye shining with malice.

"Too far away is it? Ye better start to obey orders from me if ye want to become a pirate. Now get going before I make you walk off the plank!"

"A-aye!" and Mitsuhiko took off from the room and towards the Red Betty at blinding speed.

**Author's note**: Expect the next update in April. I hope you enjoy this. Please read and review!


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer: I do not own this story.**

**Chapter 2:**

-One year later, Dalaran courtyard-

"Alright Ayumi, cast an Invisibility again," said Jaina.

Ayumi nodded her head and let the magic flow into her hands. She manipulated the raw mana into the said spell, before letting it cover her body. She instantly disappeared from view.

Jaina gave her student a happy smile.

"Well done. You can stop now," she said.

Ayumi deactivated the spell, appearing again with a grin on her face.

It had been an entire year since she ended up in the courtyard of Dalaran. Apparently tracking down the energy signature of a completely unknown portal was incredibly difficult, and even one year after the incident, they were nowhere near discovering the other end of the portal.

Antonidas eventually asked Warlic, Lore's foremost mage, about the portals, and found that he too were as stumped as him as to where the portals came from. They did discover that Mitsuhiko ended up being a cabin boy on Rhubarb's ship.

When Ayumi heard about this, she literally jumped for joy and begged to be allowed to see Mitsuhiko, only for Jaina to sadly tell her that Lore and the Eastern Kingdoms, the continent that Dalaran was situated in, was separated by a massive ocean, of which only the toughest of ships and the bravest (or craziest) of adventurers can cross. She however, told a crestfallen Ayumi that Captain Rhubarb met all of those criteria, and that if anyone is capable of crossing the Angel's Pass, it was Captain Rhubarb and his crew.

Ayumi, for her part, immersed herself in studying magic. It was basically impossible for a seven, now eight, year old girl to not get fascinated with a subject that, up until the year before, was simply a figment of her imagination.

And learn she did. After an entire year of learning magic from the mages of Dalaran, Ayumi had mastered many of the basic spells that need to be learned by a mage. She had very quickly become adept at casting Slow and Invisibility, and was well on her way to learning to cast Polymorph.

Jaina looked at her student, and felt pride for the young girl. While learning to cast Slow and Invisibility in a matter of months was not unheard of, indeed she herself had mastered both spells in only a few weeks, it was Ayumi's age that made it a feat worthy of recognition. The youngest that human mages and priests start their training is at the age of twelve, and would spend at most up to five years just honing their mana manipulation. Ayumi, on the other hand, not only learned to manipulate mana in only a few months, but also managed to cast an Adept level spell without any difficulty, and is slowly but surely progressing to the Master level spells. And she did all this at the age of eight.

Jaina couldn't help but feel a twinge of jealousy. If Ayumi continued to improve at the rate she was going, she's going to become the youngest Archmage on history, shattering Jaina's record of nineteen years old.

Jaina sighed to herself. 'Perhaps it's better if we won't think about these things,' she thought. She looked back to Ayumi, who gazed at her expectantly, waiting for her mentor's next instruction.

Jaina gave a small smile. "Alright, this is the last spell for the day. Let's see if you can cast a Polymorph correctly," she said.

Ayumi gave her an excited nod, before once again calling forth mana into her hands. Ayumi chose her target, a table, and casted the spell. The table turned into a complete chair, though it left Ayumi very exhausted. She was panting heavily after casting the spell.

"Excellent Ayumi!" exclaimed Jaina. "Wonderful! That was the first time your Polymorph didn't end up with the transformation incomplete."

Ayumi didn't reply, being too exhausted to do anything than pant. Jaina looked at her sympathetically.

"You can take the rest of the day off, Ayumi. I will still have to go meet Master Antonidas for my own training anyway," she said.

"Thank you Master Jaina," replied Ayumi, having forgone the use Japanese honorifics in favor of Common titles.

Jaina acknowledged her reply, and walked off to Antonidas' chambers, leaving Ayumi to plop exhaustedly to the ground.

Jaina never got there, for the moment she walked near the gardens, she saw Antonidas talking with a mysterious stranger. Her curiosity got the better of her, she casted Invisibility on herself, and moved slowly towards her master.

"You must listen to me. A great danger is coming to this land, move your people to the west, only then will you prevent the disaster that is approaching!" said the stranger.

"When will you learn? I have no time to these foolish theories," said Antonidas.

"Then I have no more business to be here," replied the stranger. He transformed into a great hawk and flew into the distance.

"You can come out now jaina, he's has left," said Antonidas.

Jaina sheepishly revealed herself. "I'm sorry for spying master, but-"

"It's in your nature to be curious child. But that old fool's convinced the world is about to end," said Antonidas.

He casted a teleportation spell on the two of them, and they teleported back to the courtyard. Jaina could see Ayumi sleeping on the ground, too tired to even move herself from her position. The girl was carried to her quarters by two priests.

Jaina turned to her master. "I've heard rumors about a plague that is spreading in Lordaeron. Do you think this plague has something to do with the mysterious portals?" she asked.

"That is something I'd like for you and your apprentice to find out," replied her master.

Jaina's riased ay eyebrow. "Why include Ayumi in this, surely I could handle this alone."

Antonidas shook his head. "I know for sure that you can do this task by yourself Jaina, but I would like for Ayumi to gain some first-hand experience in the real world. It would not do well for a mage to remain cooped up in one place."

"But she's just a child!"

"Which is why I am entrusting her to you Jaina, and her being a child makes it all the more important to be in this mission. Being exposed early on to the dangers of the world will be a valuable asset later in life."

Jaina could think of no reply to this. She bowed her head. "I will do my best, master."

"I know you will child."

Without another word, Jaina left Anotonidas to prepare for the journey.

-A Lordaeron road-

"Prince Arthas, we are nearing Uther's camp," said a soldier to a blonde warrior at his side. The warrior was carrying a large hammer in one hand, and a tome of spells hung from his belt.

"What are you talking about? We're still an hours' walk away," replied Arthas.

They were marching up a hill when they a burst of light erupted from the top.

"Uther's beard!"

"What the hell is that?"

"Come on, hurry!"

All three hurried to the top of the hill, where they spotted a brown-haired teen lying unconscious on the ground.

They cautiously went near the boy, weapons drawn in case he was a trap laid the orcs, humanoid creatures who were at war with the humans. When the boy didn't stir, and there appeared to be no traps lying in wait, they breathed.

"Another one of those portals sir?" asked one of Arthas' escorts.

"Looks like it."

"Should we take him with us?"

"Let's," was the reply.

One of the footmen grabbed hold of the boy's torso, and heaved it onto his shoulders. They then continued their walking to Uther's camp.

-The next day, Uther's camp-

The boy had woken up. He groaned, and sat up. He took in his surroundings. He was lying on a bed inside a tent, it was daytime, and there was a blonde man wearing leather armor sitting next to him. Judging by the fact that he was reading what seemed to be a spell book, and beside him was a hammer that seemed to be his weapon of choice, it was clear that this man was either not a kidnapper or a very incompetent one.

The man noticed him move and stopped reading. "Oh, good, you're awake," he said, his tone relieved. By that statement the boy has ruled out his situation as a kidnapping.

The boy nodded. "Where am I sir?"

The blonde man rubbed his head. "Well, this is going to be difficult to explain, but you're somewhere near the village of Stahnbrad."

"I've never heard of a place named Stahnbrad? Am I in Germany if I may ask? And you speak fairly good Japanese."

The man grumbled under his breath, though the boy can clearly distinguish the phase, "he's the one who's good at this," being uttered.

The stranger shook his head. "I can probably tell you more if I can ask for your name," he said.

"I am Saguru Hakuba," the boy replied.

"My name is Arthas Menethil," said the man.

"Mister Arthas, where is this Stahnbrad?" asked Hakuba.

"Stahnbrad is a village a few hours walk away from the city of Andorhal, and is a part of the Kingdom of Lordaeron, on the continent of-"

"I have never heard of any of those places," said Hakuba, who was now irritated. "Are you trying to pull a joke on me? I am not laughing."

"Look, I'm telling you the truth, it's just that you refuse to-," Arthas sighed. "Let's try this again. What is the last thing that you remember before you woke up?"

"I was in the middle of chasing a thief named Kaitou Kid. I was turning a corner when an incredibly bright light blinded me. After that, I found myself here."

"And where were you chasing the thief?"

"It was on the middle of a museum in Tokyo, the time was twenty-hundred hours when I was knocked unconscious."

Arthas rested his chin on his hand. "I see. Well, I hate to be the bringer of bad news, but it would seem that you have been transported into another world my friend."

"That's impossible."

"Why?"

Saguru rolled his eyes; he cannot believe he was talking to a person who believed that such things were possible, at least on his lifetime.

"The energy required to open a wormhole to another universe is so immense that it would completely exhaust a star's power. On top of that, we don't have the means of harnessing or even collecting that kind of energy," he said, his voice carried a tone of finality.

Arthas looked at him consfused. "I can't say I understood what you just said, so I'm going to ignore it for now."

Hakuba's jaws dropped.

Arthas ignored his companion's look. "Though I can tell you, that it took a whole lot of magical energy, mana that is, to make that portal that transported you here."

"Are you seriously trying to tell me, that I am in another world, that magic is real, and that the light I encountered was a portal?" asked Saguru, convinced that the man was out of his mind.

"Yes."

"Then I believe I have spent enough time here."

He got up and sat on the edge of the bed. Finding his shoes at the foot, he put them on and left the tent. Arthas didn't stop him.

He did follow Hakuba out of the tent, and found the boy simply standing there, his eyes wide as saucers and his moth hanging. Arthas looked to see what is causing the boy to behave like that, and smirked.

His mentor, Uther, had apparently heard their conversation, and was now showing off for them. The veteran paladin made light dance around him, casted a Divine Shield around himself, and made his war hammer, and some of the footmen that were watching, glow. For his final act, the soldiers brought a recently dead mouse in front of him, and Uther casted his spell. The mouse was struck by a brilliant light. When it faded, everyone saw a once dead mammal now curiously moving its snout, eager to live its life once more.

Uther caught the mouse and released it back into the wild.

Arthas moved beside a still stunned Hakuba. "Believe me now?" he asked.

Hakuba moved his mouth to speak, but no sound came out. He simply plopped there like a fish.

"He- he resurrected a dead mouse!" he finally blurted out.

"That he did."

"But that's supposed to be impossible! That mouse was clearly dead for several hours, not even modern science can bring back something that's died for that long!"

"But you just saw my mentor do the exact same thing you keep on denying. Though Resurrection does have a limit as to how long a body has been dead in order for the corpse to be revived."

Hakuba couldn't think of a reply. He just stood there, his mind going over all the possibilities it could bring. Very few murders would actually end up as murders. Killers could be tried with witnesses being the very persons whom they killed. Accidental deaths would not result in deaths. No need for flashlights, the possibilities!

Arthas was now talking to Uther. "So I heard the orcs were setting up a camp nearby."

Uther nodded grimly. "Yes, what you heard was true. That's why I'll be leaving the defense of Stahnbrad to you. I will be going near the orc encampment to make sure they stay at their encampment."

He turned to leave, but stopped when Hakuba made a sudden move.

"Where can I learn to resurrect the dead?" he asked.

"It takes a very skilled Paladin to resurrect the dead young man."

"I am not concerned with time. I will try and find a way back home later. Now, I wish to learn how to revive the dead. I don't want anymore innocent deaths to happen, be it here or in my own world. I have solved far too many murder cases for that."

Uther examined the young boy in front of him for a moment, as if deciding whether or not he is worthy of becoming a paladin.

Hakuba stood firm. He knew that showing any weakness now would mean he would lose his chance of studying something completely new, and completely beneficial.

Uther's inspection lasted for five minutes and twenty seconds, Hakuba measured. When he was finished, he gave a huge grin and turned to Arthas.

"Teach this boy what you know."

It was Arthas' turn for his eyes to widen.

"What, but I'm still starting with my own training as a Paladin!"

"Then you can both learn from each other," said Uther. He took out a small book of spells and gave it to Hakuba. The detective scrutinized every single aspect of the book, noticing that it contained nearly five hundred pages, is thirty centimeters long, twenty centimeters wide, and ten centimeters thick. The cover was hardbound, and colored brown. The title read "Basic Light Magic" in letters that he could somehow understand and yet he doesn't recognize the writing at all.

He heard Uther talking to him. "That's a basic book for those who wish to learn the ways of the paladin. Arthas carries a slightly more advanced book, and you will become his apprentice."

He turned to Arthas. "I best be going young prince, and I hope you and your new apprentice would get along well."

He and his men left Arthas after that, leaving only him, Hakuba, and two other footmen to defend a town.

Arthas sighed. "How did I get myself into this situation?"

He then turned to Hakuba. "We'll need to give you a weapon first. I hope a hammer's alright."

He pointed to a sledgehammer lying on top of an anvil.

Hakuba took the hammer and tested its weight. It was relatively heavy, but this was not the time to complain.

Arthas nodded. "Alright, just try and use that until we can find a better one."

He walked forward and beckoned his men and Hakuba. "Come on, we'll go to the houses outside of Stahnbrad and see if we can find any help."

The two footmen and the detective followed along.

-The Red Betty-

"Captain we've nearing port!" shouted Mitsuhiko from atop the crow's nest.

"Aye! Alright crew, man the sails and let's make port!" said Rhubarb.

Mitsuhiko jumped from the crow's nest to help with the tying of the sails.

When they finished securing the sails, everyone came down from the masts and resumed their usual activity, mainly chatting, playing cards, sharpening blades, or watching the sea.

For Mitsuhiko, he grabbed a rope and dropped next to the captain.

"Orders, sir?" he asked.

Rhubarb gave him a smirk, before ruffling his hair. "Take it easy for now. Ye've worked hard in this trip lad, ye get the rest of the day off when we get to port," he said.

Mitsuhiko's face brightened. "Thank you captain!" he exclaimed, before going down to the deck to be with the rest of the crew. Mitsuhiko got along well with the rest of the people aboard the Betty, and they treated him like one of their own.

Rhubarb looked at his cabin boy. He found it hard to believe that only a year has passed since Mitsuhiko came to the Red Betty.

During that span of time, Mitsuhiko's body developed. His small frame had become muscular, not to the extent of a body builder, but enough that well developed muscles can be seen on his arms and abs.

His speed had increased dramatically. Being the official errand boy of the crew of the Red Betty, he was always running to and from Gibet's, Lolosia's marketplace, and the ship. This gave Mitsuhiko experience in weaving in and out of crowds, quickly running in short bursts, and evading the occasional thief.

Living in a pirate town such a Lolosia had quickly molded young Mitsuhiko into a survivor. In a place where there were no rules, and the only authority is yourself, Mitsuhiko soon learned to fight fire with fire.

After only a few weeks of living in Lolosia, he had already encountered seven robberies, three attempted murders, five kidnappings, and a hostage taking. At first his response was to run back to either the Red Betty or Gibet's, and cry to Rhubarb. Rhubarb would then proceed to scold the boy mercilessly, telling him that if he continues to run to others like a coward, then he'd never become a crew of the Betty. It was only through Mitsuhiko's resolve to prove to Rhubarb that he wasn't a coward that kept him from quitting and hiding in his room.

He taught himself to look for weak points in his opponent, and use that to his advantage. His observational skills, honed during his time with the Detective Boys, were sharpened to a fine point in his stay in Lolosia. He learned to study everyone carefully, paying close attention to minor things as breathing and posture.

Gibet noticed Mitsuhiko's efforts in making himself better at hiding and evading, and was nice enough to call a friend of hers to help the boy.

Valencia was a rare item hunter stationed in the town of Krovesport, whose reputation for lawlessness was even worse than Lolosia. After hearing Mitsuhiko's story and a glass of the Gibet pub's famous drink, Valencia volunteered to train Mitushiko in the art of becoming a Rogue.

She taught him how to hide in the shadows, to keep his face neutral at all times, and the proper use of daggers, a rogue's preferred weapon, in combat. She showed him different kinds of poisons and antidotes. She improved the skills that Mitsuhiko taught himself, and added skills that he hasn't learned yet, such as poison making. In three weeks, Mitsuhiko learned much from the rare item hunter.

When it came for her time to leave, Valencia gave a pair of rare daggers to Mitsuhiko. They were colored silver, and were made by Yulgar, one of the finest blacksmiths on Lore.

"So you'll always remember dear old Valencia," she said with a wink to a teary but blushing Mitsuhiko.

As soon as Mitsuhiko returned to the Red Betty after his training with Valencia, he was caught by surprise when he found that they had planned a surprise party for him. When he asked why, Rhubarb told him that he had overcome the obstacles that were blocking his path to becoming a crew of the Betty, and though he cheated by receiving help from Valencia, he was now a crewmember of the Red Betty.

It was one of the happiest moments in his life.

Mitsuhiko was now using his free time to try and get some much needed sleep. But his mind was a beehive of activity, and he found himself lying in bed after an hour of trying to sleep. He finally gave up on his attempt, got up from his bed, and walked out of the crew's sleeping quarters.

Outside, he found Rhubarb talking to an elf wearing robes and a blindfold. Quietly making sure he was hiding between two barrels, Mitsuhiko listened in on the conversation.

"And what may ye be doing here Sage Uldor?" asked Rhubarb to the stranger.

"I had a vision Captain Rhubarb. In the vision, I saw a great armada of ships heading into the unknown. Many of the ships were lost to ocean storms. Some crashed into the rocks, and the others that made it to shore were attacked by centaurs," said Uldor.

Rhubarb listened carefully to what he said. "And what is our part in the vision?"

"You must travel to the ocean between Azeroth and Kalimdor. It is there that you will meet the armada of humans. You will guide them to their way to Kalimdor, and aid them in establishing a new home there."

Rhubarb's eyes widened. "Azeroth? That continent's half a world away! There's a reason why they call that sea the Angel's Pass. That ocean is nearly completely uncharted, you'll need the help of an angel to cross it. And Kalimdor is even farther away than that!"

"Which is why you need to leave immediately, take your cabin boy with you, he has a friend that lives with the people on the armada."

Rhubarb looked angry. "Just how important is this Uldor?" he asked.

"The fate of the world may depend on it."

That sealed it. Rhubarb may be a person who likes to defy authority, but even he knows the gravity of the situation they were in.

He shook his head. "Alright, just let me gather me crew. I'll let you explain to them, though I think me cabin boy's already heard us."

Mitsuhiko froze from his hiding spot. Caught red-handed, he stood up from behind the barrels, and faced his captain and the sage.

"Um, sorry for eavesdropping," he said.

"It is quite alright Mitsuhiko. And in fact it may be beneficial, as it would mean less explanation for me later," replied Uldor.

"Valencia taught ye well, but ye'll need to fine tune yer skills if ye want to hide from Captain Rhubarb!" commented Rhubarb, before again ruffling Mitsuhiko's hair.

"Sage Uldor, is it really true that I know someone from Azeroth?" asked Mitsuhiko after he had untangled himself from Rhubarb's hand.

"Yes. Warlic's friend, Antonidas, talked to him a few months ago about the mysterious portal that took you from your world. Antonidas was asking if Warlic found anything about the signature of the portals, but Warlic was just as clueless as him. He did however, share that a little girl named Ayumi emerged from the portal roughly one year ago, around the same time you appeared on the Red Betty if I believe."

Mitsuhiko was shocked. Ayumi was alive!

"I'll gather the crew now!" he said, racing for the docks and into the town.

As Rhubarb and Uldor looked on at the cloud of dust that was left behind, the pirate couldn't help but laugh.

"Heh, he's sure excited to see his friend," he said.

"You would be, after an entire year of not seeing her. I bet he can't contain his excitement enough," said Uldor.

It only took Mitsuhiko a few minutes to gather a group of grumbling, irritated, and generally pissed off crew members, who immediately began stocking supplies once they heard the fate of the world is in their hands.

-Beika, midnight-

Two police officers were discussing their case in a car, and were on their way to the police station. One was a male, the other a female.

"First they kidnapped Mitsuhiko and Ayumi, and now Saguru Hakuba? Just how good can this kidnapper be? And how on earth does he manage to escape while leaving behind absolutely nothing?" asked the female officer.

"I don't know Sato, I just hope this doesn't happen again," said the male.

Sato sighed. "I hope you're right Takagi, I hope you're right."

They rounded a corner, and a bright light engulfed them.

Nothing was left of the car and the two officers on board.

-A dark forest-

A man dressed in Van Helsing's attire was walking down a lonely road, humming to himself. In his hand was a bag of potions and potion ingredients. A single-edged sword hung down his waist.

"And the light came to face the night, and their clash caused everyone to jump in fright, for hundreds of years they fight-."

He was interrupted when a burst light appeared to the right of him. He dropped his potions and clutched his sword.

When the light faded, it revealed the cleanly cut half of a car, and an unconscious woman dressed in office clothes.

"By the knights of the light, a portal appears in my right!" he exclaimed.

The man approached the woman slowly, despite knowing that she was transported by one of the mysterious portals that made headlines one year prior in Lolosia, lest it be a trap by one of the dark creatures that the forest has in abundance.

After making sure that nothing was amiss, he sheathed his sword, picked up his purchases, and carried the woman bridal style.

-A seaport-

A group of sailors were securing ships in the harbor, making sure that none would accidentally move and ram the other ships.

The third ship was finally secured when a brilliant light appeared right in the center of the group. When the light disappeared, a disoriented bunch of seamen were looking at a knocked out man dressed in business attire and sitting in what appears to be half of a vehicle.

"Whoa!"

"That was one of those portals! You know, like the one that appeared in Dalaran a year ago."

"What should we do?"

"Let's bring him to the Admiral; he'll know what to do."

They removed the man from the vehicle, and walked to the house of the admiral. They completely forgot about the rest of the boats.

**Author's note:** I hope you like it. I'm afraid Conan won't be appearing a lot in this story. I am focusing on the supporting characters, so Conan, Shiho, and the other prominent characters will not be making an appearance.

Please read and review!


	3. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer: I do not own any part of this story.**

**Chapter 3:**

-An unknown location-

Miwako Sato stirred in her sleep. In her half-asleep state, she can vaguely hear sounds all around her.

"Will she be alright?"

"She was merely knocked unconscious, but explaining to her what happened will be problematic, we don't know she will react to being suddenly taken from her world."

"That is true."

Slowly, the sounds became clearer, and she became aware that she sounds have stopped. Somehow, she also felt that she was being watched.

It took her a few moments before she finally realized that she was awake, and that two persons were staring at her.

One of them, a male, was wearing a crimson colored trench coat and a wide brimmed hat. The other one was a woman, and was wearing a white shirt with matching shorts, white stockings that came to her thighs, a piece of cloth that hung from her waist, and a large necklace. There were large, bronze bracelets on her wrists.

The woman spoke first.

"Ah, you are awake, how do you feel?" she said, in a language she was not familiar with but somehow could understand perfectly.

Sato sat up, she groaned, and rubbed her forehead. She took in her surroundings. She was in a small wooden room. A candle provided the only source of light. The woman was sitting in a chair beside where she lay, while the man was standing near the door.

The window outside the room revealed a picture of misery. A soft, mysterious glow provided just enough light for her to see twisted trees and evil-looking shrubs. One time, she swore she saw something sinister move in the bushes. In all, the entire scene radiated an aura of foreboding.

She looked at the two people in front of her. The woman, at first glance, seemed to be a kind and gentle person who genuinely cares for others, yet was strict enough that not a lot of people want to mess with her. The man looked like someone from a vampire movie. They didn't seem to be the types of person who would kidnap someone, let alone kidnap a police officer, but Sato remained on her guard.

"Who are you? Where am I?" she asked. Her tone was a bit apprehensive.

This time it was the man who spoke.

"Well, that would be a difficult question to answer. It all depends on whether or not you believe us."

Sato blinked. "Why would I not believe you?" What kind of kidnapper, if these guys were really kidnappers, would say such an absurd thing as asking their hostage to believe them?

The woman looked at her. "I will start with some introductions, my name is Juvania and the man behind me is Edward."

"Call me E," said Edward.

Sato nodded. "I'm Miwako Sato; can you tell me where you have taken me?"

She saw Juvania shake her head. "No, no. We have taken you nowhere; it was a portal that deposited you here, right in front of Edward's home."

"A portal?"

"That is correct."

"But how can portals exis—"began Sato. She thought about the recent kidnappings back home, how the supposed kidnapper pulls off a very flashy entrance, leaves behind absolutely no trace that there was a kidnapping before, and still manages to get away with his stunts.

Realization hit her.

"Those abductions weren't abductions at all, they're portals!"

Juvania gave her a confused look, and Sato realized she had been talking to herself out loud.

"Oh, it's just that, where I live, there have been a number of abductions lately. We all thought those were kidnappings, but now..." she trailed off, trying to make sense of it all.

Here she was, in a bed in the middle of nowhere, with two people dressed like they were about to go on a cosplay, telling her that she and Takagi were taken from Beika by portals, however unlikely that sounded, and—

"Takagi!" she shouted.

E, who had been staring out the window, turned to her.

"What?"

"Takagi, my partner; both of us saw the same bright light that you say were portals, where is he?"

"I don't know. When that portal opened here in Darkovia, you were the only one it dumped, along with what I suspect is half of a vehicle," E replied.

He opened the door to show her the car she and Takagi had been riding on. It was completely cut in half, the cut was so clean that one might say a laser did the cutting.

Sato sat on the bed with her jaws down, as the severity of the situation descended upon her.

Juvania noticed the increasing air of helplessness around the young woman, and moved from the chair to the edge of the bed. She put an arm around her, and started rubbing her back.

"It will be alright. There were others before that were also taken by the portal, are there not? Two of them are barely eight years of age, and yet they flourished in this new world. I am sure your partner will survive, and adapt to his new situation. You are part of the law enforcement in your world, am I right? Then there is nothing to worry about," she said, her voice calm and soothing.

Sato barely heard what she said, too drowned in sorrow to hear clearly, it was only when Juvania mentioned the two young survivors that she looked up.

"You said that there were two kids that were taken, right?" she asked.

Juvania nodded.

"Are their names, Ayumi Yoshida and Mitsuhiko Tsuburaya?"

"That is correct, am I right to assume that you know them?"

Sato nodded. "I do. They, along with their friend Conan, are always getting into our investigations. Those two are smart kids, where are they now?" asked Sato, relieved that at least two of the missing victims were alive and thriving.

"Mitsuhiko is currently in Lolosia, a crewman in the Red Betty. Ayumi is somewhere far away, in the land of Azeroth, she has taken up to being an apprentice to the sorcerers of Dalaran."

Sato smiled. Just as Juvania said, Mitsuhiko and Ayumi had thrived in this new world.

"Is there any way that I can visit them?"

Juvania closed her eyes, and a sense of disappointed washed over Sato.

"Once you are able to function properly, we will go to Battleon, the largest city in Lore. We will talk about visiting Mitsuhiko when we get there," said Juvania.

"What about Ayumi?"

"Ayumi…lives too far away. Azeroth is separated from Lore by a great ocean known as the Angel's Pass. To this day, the only means of communication between the two lands is through magic."

Disappointed though she was, Sato didn't show it.

E chose that time to interrupt

"Just so you know, I'll be taking you gun as payment for lodging and rescue."

"We are not charging our services, E," said Juvania.

"Oh come on, I've never seen a gun like hers, I want it," replied E, his smirk partly hidden by the shadow of his hat.

"No."

"Um, if I give you the gun, how will I defend myself?" asked Sato.

"The gun, as it is, will not be very effective as a weapon here in Lore as it was in your world, there are many creatures that will keep fighting even if they are hit by bullets again and again."

"Oh."

Juvania gave a slight chuckle. "It's of no consequence. I can teach you some magic on our way to Lore."

Sato turned to her. "Really? But I've never done any magic in my life. I didn't even know it actually exists until now!"

The chuckle became a laugh. "Magic, as you know it, would be anything that cannot be explained, that can't be attributed to nature. In truth, there is a principle behind it, which I will discuss with you on our way to Battleon."

Juvania saw that Sato was hanging on to every word she was saying. It was a satisfying sight for any trainer.

She smiled. "Rest for now Miss Sato. We have a long journey ahead of us tomorrow."

Sato gave her a nod, then fell back to sleep.

-Unknown location-

Takagi looked at his room. He was currently in what looked like a jail cell, albeit one fully furnished with all the furniture you would see in a standard bedroom. The walls of the room were bare, and made of stone, and he guessed that he must be in a castle somewhere. The toilet and the sink were placed on the side of the room opposite the bed.

The guards placed outside the door were snoring loudly. White shirts worn under steel armor adorn their chests, swords hung down their waist. If it weren't for the fact that there were no cameras in sight, he would have sworn that he was in a movie with a medieval setting.

He search the room. His captors had not taken any of his own possessions save for his gun and badge. They didn't even bother to change his clothes; Takagi was still wearing his uniform before he was captured.

With nothing to do and nowhere else to go, Takagi lied on the bed. He hoped his Sato was alright, and that their captors would be kind enough to let him see her.

He closed his eyes, and tried to sleep.

Twenty minutes later, he was awoken by the sound of someone calling for his name.

"Wataru Takagi."

He opened his eyes, sat up, and looked for the source of the voice.

There, on the door of the cell, stood an aging old man in flowing blue robes. He was flanked by the same guards that Takagi saw earlier, and was wearing an expression of amusement. He also had the longest beard Takagi had ever seen.

"I apologize for the detainment, we can't be too careful about strangers that suddenly appear out of portals," he said.

The guards unlocked the door, and the old man beckoned Takagi out of the cell.

Takagi walked slowly out of his cell, cautious about the new hospitality that his captors were showing to him.

"For security reasons, we will be tying your hands," said the old man.

Takagi said nothing, intent on finding out where he was taken, before trying to make an escape plan. He wondered vaguely about the portals that the old man mentioned.

The guards tied his wrists with rope, then led him down a corridor. They navigated a seemingly endless maze of staircases, hallways, and rooms before stopping in front of a very large door.

The intricate carvings on the door was similar to those found only on royal palaces, while the brass handles, Takagi estimated, could range from several thousand dollars to a million to make.

The guards opened the door, and Takagi found himself walking down a red carpet towards a throne on the other end of an equally large room. He guessed that his entire house would have fit into the room several times over.

The man sitting on the throne was dressed in a seafarer's uniform. Watertight boots, pants and jacket made of water resistant material, and a hood all gave the impression that he was one of a high rank in a medieval country's navy.

He watched as the guards, the old man, and Takagi walked the length of the room.

The odd group stopped in front of the throne.

"Admiral Proudmoore, we have brought to you the one the appeared out of the portal, as you asked," said one of the guards.

The admiral nodded, and waved the guards away. The old man also turned to leave, but was stopped by the admiral.

"Stay here Zerx, I may need your expertise," he said.

The old man, now named Zerx, stopped and turned.

"Alright," he replied.

The admiral then turned to Takagi. "I would have to apologize our lack of hospitality. We live in a time of war, and I'd rather see my men alive than dead."

Takagi said nothing, though he nodded in response. He kept his face neutral.

The admiral seemed satisfied with his reply, because he called back the guards, who immediately came running into the room.

"He doesn't seem to be the type to cause any trouble, untie him and take him outside. Zerx, follow them. Oh, and take him to Bandis, he may want his gun back," said the admiral.

Zerx gave a sweeping hand of agreement, and led the guards and Takagi out of the room.

Takagi didn't understand why his captors were suddenly freeing him after a meeting with their leader. He dared to ask a question.

"How did your leader know that I won't cause any trouble?" he asked.

Zerx, startled by Takagi speaking for the first time, nearly tripped.

He regained his composure after a few moments, and stared at Takagi.

"Simple, you look like you can't hurt a fly. It doesn't matter that you are part of the law-enforcement in your world, your face can rival a puppy in innocence."

"A rather large, cartoonish bead of sweat appeared in Takagi's head.

"Ehehe, nobody actually said that to me befo—what, you said something about a world, what do you mean?"

Zerx gave him a look of impatience. "Exactly what I said, you are from another world."

One cannot accurately describe what was going on in Takagi's head at the moment.

"Wait, so you're aliens?"

Zerx didn't understand the term, so he ignored it. Takagi, eager to know more, asked another question.

"How come you're wearing medieval clothing?"

"Because, Mister Takagi, though your world may have advanced in technology, your gun is evidence of that; we have not, to a certain extent. Your world only needs to worry about using your knowledge to improve technology. We, on the other hand, must use knowledge gathered from hundreds of different sources to progress not only science, but also magic."

Takagi blinked. "Wait, you're telling me magic exists?"

"Your world may only know of magic as pulling rabbits out of hats Mister Takagi, but I assure you that it exists. And before you ask, magic and science compliment each other. Without science, magic can only discover some of its vast potential, and without magic, science can only stumble blindly without any inspiration to guide them. That is also the reason why our world looks primitive compared to yours, magic has replaced technology as a means of comfort," replied Zerx.

"So, magic has a science behind it?" asked Takagi

"Were you listening to anything I said before?" Zerx's tone carried a hint of anger in it.

"Y-yes."

They finally reached the gate. The guards opened the gates, and pushed Takagi out. He nearly stumbled into the pavement.

"The shop of Bandis Forgefire is just a few minutes' walk from here. Go to your right until you find a shop with a hammer and an anvil sign," said Zerx.

He turned to leave, but stopped when Takagi called out to him.

"Wait, do you know where my partner is? She was with me when I blacked out." he asked.

Zerx tilted his head, the action giving him an appearance of impatience more than anything else.

"No, the sailors who found you reported that you were alone in your vehicle. The vehicle was cut cleanly in half."

"Do you have any idea where she could be?"

"No, but if we go by the other two kids who were thrown by portal, then she should be fine."

He left without giving Takagi a chance to reply, leaving Takagi to wonder who the two kids were.

_'Could Ayumi and Mitsuhiko also have been taken to this world?'_ he thought.

He was left pondering the entire time we was walking towards Bandis' shop.

-A Lordaeron road, a few hours later-

After a day of travel, Ayumi and Jaina finally stopped to camp for the night. Jaina wore a white long-sleeved shirt that bore her midriff and a considerable amount of cleavage, white pants, purple shoes, and a purple cloak with a hood. Ayumi was wearing something more or less similar, with the exceptions being that the shirt covered both her stomach and chest, and all of her clothing was colored light brown. Jaina carried a staff with a gem on top that signified her rank as an Archmage. Ayumi, despite being an exceptional sorceress, was not yet an archmage, and therefore carried none.

Though Ayumi never complained all throughout the day, Jaiana nevertheless took more breaks than she would have done if she were alone. She later found out, while they were eating their lunch, that Ayumi, behind her back, had been taking walks around the woods surrounding Dalaran. One scolding session later, and they were on their way again.

With the tents set up, and a fire started, Jaina proceeded to demonstrate to Ayumi a simple conjuring spell that gave them bread and water. As usual, Ayumi mastered it after only a few tries, and the both of them enjoyed a simple dinner with a few pieces of meat packed from Dalaran.

"Master Jaina, how far until we get to meet Mister Arthas?" Ayumi asked when she finished her share of the bread.

"Just a few more hours' walk tomorrow until we get to the meeting point," replied Jaina.

"What does he look like?" asked the young mage.

"That's right, I forgot, you never met Arthas," mused Jaina.

Jaina and Arthas were once engaged, but they called off their relationship just before the incident with the portals so they could focus on their studies and other commitments.

"Well, what does he look like?" asked Ayumi, who was on the edge of the log that was her makeshift seat.

Jaina raised her hands in surrender. "Alright, I'll tell you what he looks like."

This only served to make Ayumi all the more starry-eyed than she already was.

Jaina tilted her head back, reminiscing the memories of the days when she and Arthas were still dating.

"First off, he was a blonde, just like me. He had a long, narrow face, blue eyes, and a well-toned body. He was just starting his training as a Paladin when we decided to end our relationship. He was a simple Knight before that," said Jaina. She smiled a knowing smile, one that told volumes of love between the two.

"Why did you dump him?"

The sudden question not only dragged Jaina away from her musings, but completely shattered the romantic mood that was starting to develop.

"What? No! I didn't dump him! It was a mutual agreement. Both of us agreed to end our engagement because we had more important things to do, like me studying to become a archmage and him becoming a paladin."

Ayumi giggled, and Jaina could do nothing but sigh as her apprentice's imagination took her elsewhere.

A sudden sound made the both of the jump.

Jaina was already standing, her staff in her hands. Ayumi stood behind her, nervous but alert for any signs of trouble.

"Ayumi, I need you to cast Invisibility on the both of us," said Jaina. Ayumi obliged, and cast invisibility on herself first, and then on Jaina.

She cast her spells just in time, for almost as soon as Jaina disappeared, three dog creatures brandishing flails marched into their campsite. The creatures, known as Gnolls, began ransacking their camp, turning it inside out as they search for an easy meal.

Jaina, who knew that the invisibility won't last for the entire night, began to slowly move Ayumi to the edge of the camp, despite the girl's silent protests. She then moved to the other side, and summoned a Water Elemental.

She began hurling fireballs.

The gnolls, startled by the elemental and the sudden appearance of a woman madly hurling fireballs at them, abandoned their search for food and attacked Jaina. They tried to reach her, but every one of their efforts were thwarted by the summoned elemental. It was only after one of them got their faces torn to bits by high-pressure water that they finally decided to kill the elemental first before moving on to the woman.

On the outskirts of the fight, Ayumi desperately thought of something to help her master.

_'I've got to help Master Jaina!'_ she thought. She had already scrapped the idea of revealing herself, she knew that would only to more targets and become a danger to the both of them. Her gaze fell back to the fight.

The elemental was attacked viciously, but its liquid body proved to be too resilient for metal flails of the gnolls to damage effectively. But Ayumi knew that the elemental would not last any longer, and then master jaina would be in trouble...

_'That's it!'_ she thought.

Jaina guessed that it must have been fifteen minutes since the fight started, which she found peculiar, because her water elemental was still alive. Normally, an elemental would only last as long as their caster wants them to, and Jaina only placed enough mana on hers to last for five minutes. That this one was still around for three times as long was a mystery to her.

The answer still eluded her ten minutes later, until gnoll suddenly sniffed the air, and broke away from the fight.

Jaina stood perplexed as to why the gnoll would decide to retreat, when the question solved itself when the gnoll started for Ayumi, who hadn't realized that her invisibility has lasted its duration. The girl had her hands in front of her, and were glowing softly. It was then that Jaina realized why the elemental lasted for as long as it did, Ayumi used her own mana to fuel it.

The young mage was concentrating so much on the elemental that she never realized she was visible again, and that a gnoll was bearing down upon her.

"Ayumi look out!" cried Jaina.

Ayumi opened her eyes, only to see the figure of the gnoll right above her, ready to swing its flail into her skull...

With a scream, she closed her eyes shut and braced for impact.

The sound of a blunt object hitting flesh was heard, and Ayumi opened her eyes to one of her worst nightmares.

Jaina Proudmoore lay on the ground next to her, unconscious, her head bleeding profusely. The gnoll, surprised by her actions, stood temporarily mesmerized at the scene. Ayumi knelt beside her master, unable to comprehend why any creature would want to hurt someone else. Sure, she had seen murders before, but the experience of having a loved one die in right in front of you was something that can never be learned. Never.

The gnoll, who had finally gains its senses, shook its head and swung its flail backward, ready to give the final blow to the little human girl who stood between him and the woman. He tensed his arms, imagined where the flail would land, and paused.

The little girl was gazing at him. While there was nothing special about the movement itself, it was the girl's expression that made him stop. No word, not even a group of words, can completely describe what he had seen on the girl's face. An infinity of emotions flowed from her eyes, the most prominent of which, the gnoll noted, seemed to be confusion, grief, and uncontrollable anger.

What happened next was a blur to him. The girl suddenly let out a wordless cry of rage and started hurling ball after ball of pure mana at him. He had no time to retaliate, and even less time to escape, not that the girl would let him. He was hit by a barrage of maha spheres, each sphere packing enough power to knock out an adult human. Even after he fell he was not given any respite, for the hail of mana spheres continued relentlessly, showering him with attacks from every angle possible. Even as his senses failed, as his dying body lost its will to live, he could still feel the mana spheres hitting him, unrelenting, unending. He would never know that even after he died, the girl would still continue to fire mana spheres at his corpse, until nothing but a bloody smear on the ground was left.

Ayumi knelt before her master, her quest for revenge against the gnoll had left her more tired than she had ever been in her life. She held Jaina's hand, slowly but surely accepting that her master was dead. She closed her eyes. As she lifted her slowly cooling hands to her cheek, Ayumi snapped her eyes open.

She might not know a lot about first aid, but she hoped that it would be enough.

-The ocean-

The sea was calm, and the winds were strong. The Red Betty was moving swiftly across the Angel's Pass, itself the only speck of anything man-made for miles around. It had only been a day since the crew left Lolosia, and the crew was in very high spirits. They had been chosen to save the world, and they would not fail that mission.

As always, Mitsuhikop was on the crow's nest, his eyes searching the horizon for anything that might be of importance. And, just like it had been for the past few hours, he had found nothing but open sea ahead of them. He sighed, and turned around to look at the way that they came.

The first thing that he noticed was a black blot coming their way. Upon closer inspection, he realized that the blot was actually a flying eyeball, and more specifically, the Archmage Warlic's flying eyeball. And tied to it was a letter. Immediately, he notified Rhubarb.

"Captain, Warlic's familiar is coming towards us!" he shouted.

Rhubarb instantly ran to the back of the ship, along with all the crew that has nothing to do.

The eyeball arrived an hour later, and deposited the letter at Rhubarb's feet. Without another glance, it started to fly back to Lore. Rhubarb paid it no notice.

He opened the letter, and started reading. And the more he read it, the happier he became. The letter read:

_To Captain Rhubarb,_

_Do not veer off the course that you have set, for in a few days time you will come upon that which all pirates seek. The island that vanishes will appear at dawn, you have but one day to collect the treasure._

_-Uldor_

"Mitsuhiko!" called Rhubarb.

"Yes captain?" the boy replied back.

"When ye see an island in front of us, call me immediately! We're going treasure hunting!"

"Aye!"

The crew cheered, and their spirits soared even higher.

**Author's note:** Thank you to everyone who read and, and a very special thank you to those who reviewed!

I was actually thinking of putting in a scene for Hakuba, but I felt that it would make the chapter far too long for the 4000 word quota that I follow for it.

I bore you with an exceedingly long author's note, so I'll just end this with:

Please read and review!


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